stellar charters

What stellar charters does

Stellar Charters LLC is a Kenosha, Wisconsin-based direct-to-consumer Lake Michigan sportfishing charter service founded in 2001 by owner/captain Rich Tanner. The company operates a fleet of three identical 33-foot Tiara sport fishing vessels (Stellar, Guardfish, and X-Stream) from Simmons Island Marina, running private-only charters (no group mixing) with a maximum of six passengers per boat under U.S. Coast Guard regulations. Trips target King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Steelhead, and Brown Trout, with two daily departures at 5 AM and 11:30 AM across a May-through-September season. Standard offerings are 6-hour trips ($800–$1,200 per boat) and 8-hour trips ($1,020–$3,060 per boat), with all tackle, fish cleaning, and bagging included.

The underlying operating technology is conventional marine equipment rather than software or AI: each vessel is equipped with twin 350/454 Crusader engines, 24-mile radar, Raytheon autopilot, Garmin GPS and sonar, marine radios, MAGNUM METALZ electric downriggers, and USCG-certified safety gear. Customer acquisition runs through a self-serve real-time booking calendar on stellarcharters.com (with a $200 refundable deposit), supplemented by phone and text, alongside a Facebook and Instagram social presence featuring weekly fishing reports and trophy galleries. The company supplements its core charter product with the multi-day X-Stream Package (two trips plus lodging at partner Merry Yacht Inn) and a small ecosystem of lodging, restaurant, and outdoor recreation referral partnerships in the Kenosha harbor area. Stellar Charters is founder-owned, bootstrapped, and privately held, with no institutional investors, no M&A activity, and no parent company.

Name

stellar charters

Legal name

Stellar Charters LLC

Website

https://stellarcharters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Stellar Charters is a Kenosha, Wisconsin-based Lake Michigan sportfishing charter service operating since 2001 with three 33-foot Tiara vessels, offering private salmon and trout trips May–September to individual anglers, families, and tourist groups on a direct-to-consumer basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter Fishing Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAAIAJ

Fishing & Spearfishing Charters (recreational/eco-managed)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Marine & Coastal Ecotourism (Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching)

Keywords

• Sportfishing charters
• Lake Michigan fishing
• Salmon trout charters
• Guided fishing trips
• Recreational fishing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kenosha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charter Fishing Trips: Per-trip charter fishing service on Lake Michigan. Customers pay for boat charter (not per person) with pricing varying by trip duration and party size. Private charters only - no group mixing. Standard season runs May through September with two daily departures.
2. X-Stream Package: Multi-day package combining two 6-hour sunrise trips with lodging at Merry Yacht Inn. Price per person varies by party size and includes lodging option.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Stellar Charters runs private sportfishing charters on Lake Michigan out of Kenosha, Wisconsin, using three 33-foot Tiara vessels. The company sells 6-hour trips (AM/PM), 8-hour trips (AM only), and the X-Stream Package that bundles two 6-hour sunrise trips with lodging at the Merry Yacht Inn. All trips include fishing tackle, fish cleaning, and bagging, with two daily departures (5 AM and 11:30 AM) from May through September.

Product overview

Stellar Charters LLC is a Lake Michigan fishing charter service based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, operating since 2001. The company offers charter fishing trips for salmon and trout on Lake Michigan from May through September, operating three 33-foot Tiara sport fishing vessels named Stellar, Guardfish, and X-Stream. The core service offerings include 6-hour charter trips (AM or PM), 8-hour extended trips, and the X-Stream Package which bundles two 6-hour trips with lodging at the Merry Yacht Inn. All trips include fishing tackle, fish cleaning, and bagging. Pricing varies by party size (1-6 passengers maximum per U.S. Coast Guard regulations) with daily rates ranging from $133-$510 per person depending on trip duration and party composition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 6-Hour Charter Trip A 6-hour guided sportfishing charter on Lake Michigan targeting salmon (King, Coho) and trout (Lake Trout, Steelhead, Brown Trout), offered in morning (5 AM) or afternoon (11:30 AM) departures for private parties up to 6 passengers. All fishing tackle, fish cleaning, and bagging are included; pricing ranges from $133 to $400 per person depending on party size.
• 8-Hour Charter Trip An extended 8-hour guided sportfishing charter on Lake Michigan, offered morning only (5 AM departure), for private parties up to 6 passengers. Includes all fishing tackle, fish cleaning, and bagging; pricing ranges from $170 to $510 per person depending on party size.
• X-Stream Package A bundled multi-day charter package combining two 6-hour sunrise fishing trips with optional 2-night lodging at the partner Merry Yacht Inn in Kenosha. Per-person pricing ranges from $266 to $870 depending on party size (2–6 people) and whether lodging is included; designed for visiting anglers seeking an all-inclusive trip-and-stay experience.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Coon Creek Hunt ClubminorOthersRelated outdoor activity partner offering private memberships, introductory hunts, and clay target shooting. Linked on Stellar Charters website under 'About Us' section as an additional outdoor experience option for customers.
• Merry Yacht InncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLodging partner included in X-Stream Package trips. Located at 4815 7th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53140 (old firehouse converted into small lodge with 5 rooms and 12 beds). Contact Wendy at (262) 308-3187. Most economical lodging option in harbor area.
• The Stella HotelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred lodging partner offering charter fishing rates. Located at 5706 8th Avenue, Kenosha, WI 53140. Contact (262) 842-2000. Walking distance from harbor area restaurants and docks.
• Wyndham Garden KenoshaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred lodging partner offering charter fishing rates. Located at 5125 6th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53140. Contact (262) 658-3281. Follow prompts to Front Desk when booking to get charter fishing rate.
• Fin and AleminorOthersRestaurant partner that will cook freshly caught fish. Located in harbor area, listed as dining option for customers to have their catch prepared.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tightline Sportfishing Charters: A Lake Michigan sportfishing charter operator running salmon and trout trips from Wisconsin ports with a comparable fleet of mid-size outfitted vessels and a similar private-charter booking model. Direct competitor for the same Milwaukee-Kenosha angler base.
• Therapy Sportfishing Charters: A Lake Michigan charter fishing operator based in Grand Haven, Michigan offering salmon, steelhead, and trout trips on similarly equipped sport fishing boats. Direct peer on species, customer segment, and trip format.
• Doctor's Charters: A Michigan-based Lake Michigan charter fishing service targeting salmon and trout out of Saugatuck/Douglas with multi-boat operations and similar per-trip private charter pricing. Closely comparable in operating model and target species.
• Reel Therapy Sportfishing Charters: A Lake Michigan charter operation offering private salmon and trout trips with comparable vessel class and trip durations. Direct competitor for premium charter bookings on the same lake.
• Fin Chaser Charters: A Great Lakes charter fishing service offering private salmon, trout, and walleye trips with similar boat specifications and direct-to-consumer online booking. Comparable in vessel type, target species, and customer profile.

Regional players

• Captain's Choice Charters: A Lake Michigan charter operator based out of Michigan ports offering salmon and trout trips with similar private-charter structure. Regional peer rather than direct Kenosha competitor, but operates in the same lake ecosystem and customer demographic.
• Door County Charter Fishing Association: A collective of charter fishing operators in Door County, Wisconsin offering Lake Michigan salmon and trout trips. Regional peer competing for the same Wisconsin tourist-angler pool but anchored in a different geographic sub-market.

Broad incumbents

• FishingBooker: An online charter-booking marketplace that aggregates sportfishing operators across the U.S. and globally, including Lake Michigan listings. Not a direct charter operator but an incumbent channel that increasingly competes for direct booking demand.
• Orvis (Sportfishing Trips): A premium outdoor lifestyle brand that publishes curated content and booking referrals for guided fishing trips, including Great Lakes destinations. Adjacent incumbent that channels angler demand and could partner with or compete against Stellar for visibility.

Others

• Coon Creek Hunt Club: Stellar Charters' existing partner, offering private upland hunting and clay shooting outings in Wisconsin. Adjacent outdoor-recreation operator bundled into Stellar's customer journey under the 'About Us' section — useful comparable for cross-sell and partnership structure.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StellarCharters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stellar-charters
• Instagraminstagram.com/stellarcharters_kenosha

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about stellar charters